Electrical connecter



Jan. 11, 1938. G, E ANDRE 2,104,786

ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Filed March 25, 1956 o" x s ew, Mfg

Patented Jan. 1l, 1938 UNITI-:D STATES 'ELECTRICAL coNNnc'rnn f Gustar E. Andre', Richmond, Ind., ,umm-to ,y Belden Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111;,

a corporation of Illinois Application Maren as, 193e, semina. 16,194

40mm. retira-stai My invention relates to'electrical terminals, and

more particularlyto plug connecters of the type used for connecting electric conductor cords to y electric appliances.

In Patent No. 1,954,859, there is ldisclosed Ia connecter of the type herein contemplated, which has been found to be highly effective for maintaining good electrical connections between the contact elements' thereof and the cooperating contact pins of an appliance.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a connecter of the type referred to which will not only retain the advantages of the construction shown in said patent, but which will have additional advantages of greater simplicity in construction, more secure connection between the conductor cord wires and the contact elements of the connecter; and wherein there is .Y a substantially permanent, low resistance connection between the conductor' wires of the associated cord and the contact elements of the connecter; and in general, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved connecter of the type referred to.

' One form ,of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing whereiny Fig. 1 is a sectional view, partially in elevation, of a cord terminai'having contact elements constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the .line v3 3 of Fig'. 1: and

Fig. 4 is a perspective `view showing the two contact members used in constructing my improved contact elements, prior to the assembling thereof.y A

Referring particularly to the drawing, the body portion of the terminal comprises a pair of substantially similar, complementary sections I and 2 which are formed of molded insulating material. These sections are held together in the assembled terminal by means such as the screws indicated at 3. A passageway 5 for receiving the cord 1 and the cord protecting spring 9 is formed in the upper. end of the body portion of 'the terminal. Within the body portion, two suitably formed recesses II are provided for engaging and supporting the two contact elements I3, each of which serves to connect one of the'conductors of the cord 1, with which the terminal is used,' releasably to one `oi the contact pins forming a part ofv an appliance. v

Each of the contact elements comprises two elongated contact members I5 and |1 which are Joined-together' at one oi' their Iends in a manner to be subsequently described. One of these con- ,tact members (I5.) isV formed from a channelshapedl brass strip and is of relatively rigid construction. It is provided' th a transversely 5 arched depression I9 for engaging the sides of a contact pin. which may form" a part of the lassociated appliance, and with a iiat portion 2| adjajacent its upper end for` receiving a similar fiat portion 23 fo ng a part of the other contact 10 member. The other contact member I1 is prei- 4 erably formed of spring steel, Monei metal or a similar resilient material, which will retain its springiness even after being subjected to the heat normally encountered by connecters of this type. The upper end of the spring contact member I1 is provided, as mentioned above, with a at portion 23 -for engaging the similar fiat portion 2| formed in the upper -end of the channel-shaped member I5, and the lower end of this` member is likewise provided with a transversely arched section 25 for engaging a suitable contact pin.

In order that the bared end 21 of the cord conductor, with which each of the contact elements |3 is associated, may be permanently connected 25 During the assembling of the contact -element, y

the bared end 21 of one oi the cord conductors is 35 positioned on the iiat portion 2l of the 'channelshaped connecter I5 so`as to extend over the recess 29. Th spring contact member I1 is then arranged on top of the cord conductor in such position that the rib 3| shall align with the recess 40 29. The upstanding side portions 35 of the channel-shaped member I5 adjacent the engaging rib and depression are then swedged over as is shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 3. During this swedging operation the rib 3| and its comple- 45 mentary-recess 28 are moved into fairly close engagement-with each other as is illustrated in Fig.

2, and a ciampingforce of very substantial magnitude is thereby exerted on the adjacent bared lportion 21 of `the lead conductor. This clamp- 50 ing action effects a low resistance electrical connection between the bared end 21 oi the cord conductor and the two cooperating contact members I5 and I1 which cannot be broken during any ordinary use of the resulting contact element.

I In fact, actual tests have shown that this coniency of the lclamp connection is edected.

nection is much more rugged and much more permanent than that which can be eifeeted by the use of a screw fastening. The rounding of the opposed surfaces of the rib and the depression, as shown in the drawing, tends to avoid or minimise abrasion and cutting of the cord conductor duringthe swedging operation, and subsequently when f thecord andterminalareinuseandthe cord subjected to flexing and stretching.

It has been found that breaking-o3 of the cord conductors adjacent the contactelements or separation of the cord conductors from the contact elements are of extremely rare occurrence during the use of connecters constructed in ac.

cordance with the present invention. lIfhis desirable characteristic seemingly results from the use of a spring member' in each of the contact elements, tlieA resultant resilience imparted to the clamp connection edectively preventing sud den shocks or strains from snapping off the cord conductors or from subjecting the connection thereof to excessive stress. By arranging the swedged -over portions 35 so that they do not entirely cover the upper end of the ilat portion 23 of the spring contact member I1, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a further increase in the resil- From the foregoing, lit will be seen that I have provided a novel form of contactelement particularly suitable for use in conjunction with appliance cord terminals and the like. My improved contact element uses fewer parts than the prior art structures, and it may be manufactured with one or more less manufacturing operations. It is, therefore, much less expensive to manufacture and to use than the devices heretofore known to the art. At the same time, however, my improved connecter makes possible a much more rugged terminal construction than has heretofore been accomplished. Further. it

makes possible a terminal which is capable of providing a'permanent, low resistance, releasable connection between the associated cord conductor and the cooperating contact out its operative life.-

The normal stamping 'operations heretofore necessary to produce the said patent structure are, inY view ofthe present invention, sumcient to not only producel the structure, but also to effect an improved connection between the conductor wires and the respective contact elements. By permanently clamping the conductor wires to the contacts, troublesome loosening of binding post screws is avoided with resulting elimination of loose connections, arcing and incidental `burning of thewires.

Various modifications of my invention will be suggested to those skilled in the art, and it is my desire that the accompanying claims shall be construed as broadly as is possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim the following as my invention:

1.A contact element for an electrical connecter comprising an elongated, channel-shaped contact member, and a second elongated contact member positioned co-extensive therewith, said last mentioned member having a generally flat portion engaging one end of said channel-shaped member and securely afilxed thereto by swedging over of the adjacent side portions of said pin throughchannel-shaped member, said contact mem element is used tobe moved therebetween, one of said ensuing Portions having la 'transversely extending rib or projection formed therein and the corresponding section of-theother contact member having a similarly shaped, complemen-I tary recess or depression formed therein, these complementary portions cooperating during -the assembling of said contact element, to securely amxthe conductor with which saidconnecter is used thereto. l

, 2. In an electrical connecter of the class described, the combination of a contact element comprising a pair ofelongated members disposed one alongside the other so as to be adapted to receive between them a contact prong of an electrical appliance, one of said members having.

an edge extension bent around the adjacent portion ofI the other for clamping the members together; andan electric conductor wire having an end portion interposed between the clamped together portions of said members so as to be electrically connected thereto, the last mentioned portions of saidmembers being provided with interntting offset formations adapted to form an' offset in the wire portiontherebetween, thereby to more enectively prevent withdrawal of said wire'from between said members.

3. In an electrical connecter of the classdescribed, the combination of a contact element comprising a rigid, elongated, metallic member of generally channel-shaped cross section, a second elongated, metallic member formed of resilient material, an end portion of said second member b eing seated' intermediate the side walls of the channel-shaped member on an end portion of the bottom wall of the latter, portions of said side walls being bent over said end portion of -said second member to' clamp that member to said first member and an electrical conductor having an end portion interposed between the clamped together portions of said members so as to be electrically and mechanically connected thereto, the clamped together portions of said members being provided with interfitting forma tions adapted' to form an offset in the conductor portion therebetween to more effectively prevent withdrawal of said conductor-from between said members, the inherent resilience of the mechanical connection between said conductor and said connecter, resultingA from the use lof resilient material in one of said contact elements preventing the sudden shocks which may be impressed on said,conductor during use from breaking said conductor or 4from separating said conductor from said clamped togetherl contact elements.

4. A contact element for an electrical connecter comprising a' pair of elongated contact members-disposed one alongside the other, one of said members being'substantially rigid throughout its length and the other member being formed of resilient material, said members being shaped and arranged relative to each other so as to form a socket for receiving a terminal pin or the like, o ne of said contact members having an edge extension bent around the other for clamping said members together at one end thereof,

said members being provided with interiltting .offset formations at the portions thereof which are clamped together adapted to engage the conductor with which said contact element is used, during the assembling operation, so as to securely alx that conductor to said contact element.

' GUSTAF E. ANDRE. 

